Wave motor



Nov. s, 1932.? J, A, LOCKFAW 1,887,316

WAVE MOTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1931 INVENToR WITNEssEs {1g- 407m JZZOQkJfaw ATTORNEYS NOV. 8, 1 A LOCKFAW l WAVE MOTOR .Filed Aug. 20. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v h INVENTOR WITNESSES john )'Loc/'ifaw- MMM ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 8, 1932 d d UNiTEo STATES .ToHna'fIiocKrAw oF wiLMiNe'roN, NORTH cA'RoLI'N Y Applieation sieaau'gust 2o, i931.V serial No'. 555,397@A i 'Y This invention relates to an apparatus in the classl of wave1notors and which is -de-lV signed and adapted to'be operated by the energy derived from the surf, orthewaves yor swells which roll or break over a shore or sloping beach, for the purposeof producing or developing'therefrom a power medium to Y be usedfor the performance oi work of the kind where power is wanted.

- The invention has for its Igeneral object the provision inan apparatus-ot the: indicated characterof improved construction in order to derive la maximum of power romthe-energyfof the waves or swells of asea or ocean.

character to compensate for tidal changes. i

' apparatus of the indicated character tok coinpensate for variation in the force' and rapidity of wavesand swells breakingrover the A v v,langesofthe track beams 12, andthe flanges on the wheels 16 preventlateral displacevment of the car 14.' 'Y

With 'the foregoing andotherV objects inview, the'invention resides in the provision,

relative disposition and the operationo` the parts constituting the apparatus hereinafter fully described and illustratediin the accompanying drawings, in which ratus embodying the features of theinven- V tion, the section being taken o n the linel 1;#1 fof Figure 4:;

Figure 2 is an enlarged section of one of the three-wayvalves; f

'Figure 3 is an enlarged section of abrake shoe and clamp used for holding the car in adjusted position; Figure 4 is a plan view. Referring now more particularly to the ratus includes an arrangement of pillars or concrete piles 10, which are anchored in the shore or sloping beach 11, over which the surf or waves and swells of the adjacent sea erate even at low tide. A Jframe constructed preferably ot I-beams 12 is secured in place on the pillars 10 paralleling the slope of the Another object of the invention is to make v provision in an apparatus of the indicated developingmeansis arranged on Athe car 14. yThe saidxineans isgadapted toy beoperated by the motion andY forcefofthewaves or swells whichf-breakliipon'the beac'hfll';v The said a means: includes a pluralityof air'pumps eaclrt. lconsistingjof afcylinderI-Bfand a piston 19 which -operatesin' thefcylinder 18. vThe cylf Figure l'is a sectional v-iew of the appa-i i drawings, it will be apparent that the appa- 4at 24, wththe. crank arm andpivotally con- Anec.ted,as at 25,*with thepiston. :An impact or ocean roll or break. Some of thepillars .'fas at V27, andthe opposite side-edges' being'g5 or piles 10 are positioned well out into the water in order that the apparatus will op` will therefore. be apparent that Athe energy beach 111', as-shown most clearlyiniFigure 1. i

The I-beanis 12`are eiiectivelyy braced byv bracing means`13 toradd strength andk rigidity.. The pillars10andnframe consisting of the vbeams 12 constitute the supportingstructure i f 'Y or bridgewhich sustains fall of the working parts of the apparatus to be `hereinafter described. A The beamsz12 which slope downwardly in -parallelism 'to the slope of thebeach 11, Vof ,60

which there are three inthe present instance,

serve as tracks. A car Vor carriage 14' travels onthe trackbeanis 12. The said car maybe `cti-any preferred construction and consists oatrame vor chassis 15 ,andA traction means consisting of roliers or wheels` 16 mounted `onaxles or shafts 17 securedto the trame 15 on the under side thereof. lThere are threel l wheelslmounted on each aXle 17 `Each, of y.the wheels 1 6 is flangedon both sides. :The

,wheels 1613011A in contact with the upper 1. FA motor or powermediuinaprducing or-1 inder 18-is secured in place on vtheffraine 15 vof the car 14. Arock shaft20his mounted in 1 bearings 21 onthecarframe 15'. Crank arms i 22 are keyed to thevshaft 20, there being` one 19V by ta lpitman 23 pivotallyfconnected', 'as

member or apron 26 is secured to the :crank arms. 22. -The apron -26 is scoop-shaped, the lower edge thereof being curvedforwardly,

disposed 1 or directed :aty an angle forwardly and'laterally, as'1at.2 8. The apron 26.5receives theforce of the waves or swellsbreaking vuponfor rolling over the beach 11.` It.'

or force of the waves or swells rolling or breaking over the beach `will operate the pistons 19 through the intervention of the crank arms 22 and pitmen 23 to compressy therein a checkY valve 33 Vto prevent backV Vpressurewithin the cylinder 18.- The air line B Oiricludes agflexible section 34 which, it is to be'understood, leads toa suitably large storage tank or holder into which t-he -air will be Lforced'from thefcylinders 18,

and said air will be kept ready in the. tank or holder kas a power medium fortheperlformance of different lkinds vof work.

ythe present instance, use is made of siX pumps. When the waves or swells are strong allvof the pumps will be operated, and when the waves become weaker kone or more of .the pumpsmay be cut out by operating its three-way valve in order to bleedythe air to V theatmosphere, the casing of the valve having a bleed hole 35 with which the passage 36 lofthe valve member 37 may register for that purpose. This Vprovision is made because relatively weak waves may not be forceful enough to operate all of thepumps'simul- I taneously. accordance with another feacar 14 may be moved to different adjusted ture of the invention, and in order to compensate for changes in tidal conditions, the

positions inrelationftoy the supportingstructure or bridge, so that the apparatus will operate when the tide-is @high or low. To

' this end there is provided an air motor 38- onthe carwhich isfoperated by air taken Afrom the air line 30 by a connection 39. Suitable driving meansA 40 interposes the r shaft of the motor 38 and" one of the axles 17 of the car.

It will ytherefore be understood thatthe motor 38 may be started to :move the carriage 14 to any desired position.

In order to hold the car 14in the diferent adjusted positions, there are provided combination brake and clamp devices arrangedon the car 14 and which co-operaterespectively with the track.`beams 12. Each of the devices consists of brake shoes 41 loosely' supported by a bolt 42 carried by attachments 43 on the carfframe A shaft 44 extends transverselyof thecar'frame 15 atA each end thereof through the shoes 41, andV is provided "with right-hand threads 45 and v i' left-hand threads 46 inthreading engagement with the shoes 41. The shaft 44 has a hand wheel 47 for rotating the same. It will therefore be understood that by manipulating the wheels 47 the brake shoes 41 may be brought into and out of clamping engagement with the track beams 12. In this manner the car 14 may be held in different adjusted positions. y

yIf desired, Aa spring 48 may bevemployed in conjunction with each pair of brake shoes 41 to aid in separating them when it is desired to release the car for movement. It is to be understood that any other suitable means may be provided for holding the' car 14 in differentpositions. The apron 26 may be cushioned on its return movement by shock absorbers or the like 49 on thecar 14 to cooperate with the crank arms 22.

From the foregoing it willl be apparent that the motion and energy of the waves or swells rolling over or breaking upon the beach will'` impose themselves on the apron 26, and

through the intervention ofthe crank arms 22, pitmen 23 and the pistons 19 will deliver charges of air under pressure from the cylinders 18, through the air line 30 into a suitable' ,Y l

storage tank or holder (not shown), vwhere it Vmay be `kept ready for use. y It will also be apparent that'the moving parts of theapparatus arranged on the car 14 mayi-be brought tothe most advantageous positionsto compensate for changes in tidal conditions, so that the apparatus will operate for a maximum period oftime.y It will also be apparent that one or more of the pumps may be readily Vput out-of usevraccording to the force andv yrapidity of the waves or swells. Q

' I claim: 1

Inawave motor, a stationary supporting structure positioned V on abeachy and which nclines downwardly toward the body ,of

waterwhose waves roll in on the beach, a -car which travels on said structure in the direction of the inclination thereofair pressure developing means onsaid car whichis operated by the motion and force of the waves, l driven means including an air motor onsaid car connected with and operated Aby'saidair pressure developingmeansto move the car into different positions in relation to said structure so as to change the positionof the??y air pressure developing means in relation lto the body of water, and means to hold the car in the different positions.

JOHN A. Lookin/iw. 

